Michael Jung riding La Biosthetique Sam.
(Badminton, UK, 5 May 2013) Michael Jung (GER) riding La Biosthetique Sam remains in 1st place after the Cross-Country phase at the 2013 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials. Jonathan Paget (NZL) riding Clifton Promise is in 2nd place, with Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing challengers William Fox-Pitt (GBR) riding Parklane Hawk in 3rd place, and Andrew Nicholson (NZL) riding Nereo in 4th place.
Rider Quotes
Michael Jung riding Sam
Q. Michael, superb round – you’ve managed to do it so far!
Yes, we had a little mistake at the first water but the good thing is that the water was in the beginning and not in the end so he was fresh enough to manage everything and he was directly after the mistake he to listen to me what you have to do now and the rest of it was really perfect.
Q. How do you feel when something like [the mistake] that happens?
That’s cross country! For 11 minutes in the cross country and not everything working on the correct way but I am very happy!
Q. Here you are maintaining the lead to tomorrow?
He is in very good form. He is very fresh at the end and he is ready for tomorrow.
Q. How did he feel coming over the finish?
Amazing! The spectators help on the last jumps – they lift you over the last fences and its wonderful when you gallop the ten minutes through the course as everywhere are spectators – it’s really special.
Q. Will Sam be up to the Show Jumping after today?
Yes, he’s in really good form – he was fresh at the finish and I hope we are lucky enough for tomorrow.
Q. So you could spoil the Rolex Grand Slam party?
Maybe, yes!
Jonathan Paget riding Clifton Promise
Q. Jonathan – that looked amazing?
I was grateful to have another great horse to ride around this morning to help set me up for the horse that has such great dressage. Luckily for me I am on two great gallopers and jumpers – two New Zealand thoroughbreds so they know their job.
Q. How does this horse fare with the Show Jumping – is he careful?
He is careful, but I have never yet finished on my dressage score in a three day, but he is very careful and it wouldn’t surprise me if he jumped clear
William Fox-Pitt riding Parklane Hawk
Q. William, a great opportunity for you now exists [for the Rolex Grand Slam] – how are you feeling?
I’m feeling delighted. That was better, wasn’t it? He was class round there and pleasure to ride – he’s such a galloping machine. As I’ve said all along, I’d wished for the ground to be soft and muddy so then he would have done the time when some of the others wouldn’t as he’s such a good galloper – he’s breed to race.
He felt fantastic at the end and I knew I had to be quite close to the time and I know that I am exactly four points behind Michael – so IF Michael were to have a fence down and IF I was to jump clear it would have been really annoying to know I had been going a bit too fast today so very, very fortunate that Michael was a little bit quicker – but hey he’s got to go and jump the jumps tomorrow and he’s got to be OK after today.
This is a Rolex dream isn’t it – it’s not the riders dream!
Q. Well it could be a big earner, potentially?
I’m not even thinking about that – you’ve got to jump the blinking show jumps, you’ve got to trot up, there’s so far to go – that’s not his strongest phase but he’ll hopefully do his best.
Q. Any ‘heart in mouth’ moments going round there today?
No, not really. I think the course was more interesting to ride than it walked. A few of the strides didn’t come up you expected. The only time where he didn’t go exactly as I planned was where I did two little strides coming out of the pond – and that’s not like him, he would normally be a brave long striding horse so it’s rather good to know he can be a bit clever and nimble because he is brave as a lion.
Andrew Nicholson riding Nereo
Q. Another great round Andrew?
He was very, very good. He pulled really hard when he normally doesn’t pull, but with William finishing just before I started and the crowd cheering, which is quite right – he just got a little bit excited and he was pulling quite hard for five minutes which was probably just makes me huff and puff a bit!
Q. Nevertheless you were round within the time?
He does the time very easily. He lost a shoe, which made turning into the last corner a bit skiddy and slippery but he jumped it ok.
Q. Where you aware of losing the shoe on the way round?
Yes, you know pretty quickly, especially when the grass is green and you slide a little bit, but they get the hang of it.
Q. Does it take a certain amount of expertise to keep the horse balanced?
Ah, he’s got four legs hasn’t he – that’s his job – I just steer him!
Q. So, an enormous amount of pressure on you going into the Show Jumping tomorrow?
Yes, we’ve had it all week – you’ve just got to do what you’ve got to do. I’ve got two nice jumpers. Nereo has moved up, Avebury has moved up – it’s another day!
Results after Cross Country
1 Michael Jung/Sam (GER) 36.0
2 Jonathan Paget/Clifton Promise (NZL) 39.7
3 William Fox-Pitt/Parklane Hawk (GBR) 40.0
4 Andrew Nicholson/Nereo (NZL) 40.2
5 Sandra Auffarth/Opgun Louvo (GER) 42.5
For more information on the 2013 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials and full Results/Leaderboard, please visit www.badminton-horse.co.uk.
Two Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing Contenders
With two of three successive wins of the Rolex Grand Slam – the 2012 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event and the 2011 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials – William Fox-Pitt is the current live contender of the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. Due to adverse weather conditions, the 2012 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials was unfortunately cancelled. Therefore, Fox-Pitt has had to wait until the 2013 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials before he can contend for the coveted US$ 350,000 Rolex Grand Slam Prize.
However, now that Andrew Nicholson, who won the 2012 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials has also accomplished the feat of successively winning the 2013 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, there are now uniquely be two live contenders for the sport’s most coveted prize at the 2013 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials.
Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing
In 2001, Rolex created the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. This trophy is awarded to the rider who manages to win the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials and the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials event in any consecutive order. Until now, only British rider Pippa Funnell has managed this staggering achievement, winning the title in 2003.
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